Rating

Wine Enthusiast 89 points (Feb 2011) Opens sweet and borderline syrupy, but also dark, earthy and candied, with nothing offensive or too herbal. The palate is jammy and rich, with soft tannins, saturation, black-fruit flavors, chocolate and herbal flavors. Finishes sweet and sticky, with coffee and some mint. Very nice wine but also so ripe that the varietal character is vague. — M.S.

Wine maker notes

To express the terroir of Apalta is our mission; so our winemaking philosophy remains very natural and we adhere to minimal intervention. Our key points are 100% hand harvesting, strict fruit selection, gentle extraction methods and a judicious use of oak to preserve the fruit but integrate the complexity that a wine of this quality deserves. There is no clarification and a very light filtration. We create natural wines that are a true expression of their origin.